Europe’s forests face increasing risks from natural disturbances such as storms, wildfires, and pests, making the protection of existing carbon stocks as important as creating new ones. This was one of the key messages from science at the workshop titled “The role of forests and wood products in decarbonizing Europe’s economy” and convened by TEAMING UP 4 FORESTS in Vienna, Austria, earlier this year. The event gathered leading experts from science and the wood-based industry to explore how forest ecosystems and wood products can contribute to Europe’s climate neutrality and circular bioeconomy goals.
Moderated by Michael Kleine, Senior Advisor at IUFRO, the workshop offered insights into carbon dynamics in forests and soils, the role of adaptive forest management under climate change, and the challenges and opportunities of LULUCF carbon accounting, harvested wood products, and material substitutions. Industry representatives contributed perspectives on sustainability challenges, regulatory pressures, and the complexity of communicating climate-related issues to customers and society at large.
Discussions emphasized the importance of balancing biodiversity with sustainable wood production, improving the communication of forest management practices, and strengthening the contribution of harvested wood products and cascading use to a circular bioeconomy. These exchanges underscored the urgency of closer cooperation between science, industry, and policymakers to sustain resilient forests while ensuring a reliable supply of wood-based products for Europe’s future.
The workshop summary and a visual infographic of key outcomes are now available here.
